


The War At Home

by DizzyDrea



Series: This Isn't Twilight and He Doesn't Sparkle [1]
Category: Moonlight (TV), Numb3rs
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-22
Updated: 2012-01-22
Packaged: 2017-11-05 03:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/401952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DizzyDrea/pseuds/DizzyDrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In war there are always casualties. Liz never figured her innocence would be one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The War At Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [numb3rs100](http://numb3rs100.livejournal.com/) January Rewind Prompt – South, Los Angeles, Combat, Crossfire
> 
> Originally posted on LiveJournal.
> 
> All quotes in italics are from The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
> 
> Disclaimer: Numb3rs belongs to The Barry Schindel Company, Scott Free Productions, CBS Television Studios and a lot of other people who aren't me. Moonlight is the property of Ron Koslov, Trevor Munson, Warner Bros Television, Silver Pictures Television and a lot of other people who aren't me. I'm doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~o~ 

**South**

_All warfare is based on deception._

Things had gone south in a hurry. Liz had heard the shots, not realizing until it was too late that Don was in the line of fire. When she'd turned around, the sight that greeted her was one she wouldn't soon forget. 

He was looking over his shoulder at the neat cluster of shots in his shoulder blade. His eyes had drained of all their color; his face had gone pale. But it was the fangs that threw her. 

Fangs. 

She'd taken a step back, sure her eyes must be deceiving her. But he'd stood, stumbled, and she'd rushed forward to catch him. She'd wanted to take him to the hospital; he'd insisted she take him home. She didn't like it, but she'd done as he'd asked. 

Now, she was standing in his kitchen, plucking the bullets out of his shoulder, watching with a surreal anxiety as the wounds closed on their own. 

She stepped around him, placing her hands on the table, spearing him with her gaze. 

"Want to explain what just happened?" 

He ignored her, pulling the bowl closer as he sniffed the contents. "Silver." 

"And you know that, how?" 

He looked up, met her stare. His eyes were their usual brown, but she couldn’t forget that just a little while ago, they'd been pale as ice. She watched as his eyes searched hers, assessing whether she was…what? Worthy? Ready? 

He must have seen something, because he heaved a sigh. "I'm a vampire." 

She straightened up, crossing her arms as she laughed. "Right. Try again." 

"I'm a vampire," he said, standing up. "And that guy that shot me knows that silver is deadly to vamps. So either he just got lucky, or else somebody's picking a fight they can't hope to win." 

~o~ 

**Los Angeles**

_One defends when his strength is inadequate; he attacks when it is abundant._

"So, let me get this straight," she said, fifteen minutes later. "There are really vampires, they're really living in Los Angeles, and that jackass that shot you is some latter-day Van Helsing?" 

Don sighed. "Yes, yes, and Van Helsing wasn't really a vamp hunter." 

"Okay," Liz said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not touching that one." 

"Look, Liz, I know you want this to make sense," he said gently, "and I'm sorry it doesn't. But right now, I need some freezer time. And blood. And not necessarily in that order." 

Her eyebrow rose and she followed his eyes as they caressed her neck. An involuntary shiver worked its way down her spine. She swallowed, drawing his eyes back to hers. 

"You should go." 

Marshalling some false bravado, she pushed her sleeve back. "Here. Take mine." 

"You're scared," he countered, challenging her. Suddenly, he was beside her, his hand stroking up her side, ghosting over the skin at her neck. He leaned in close, his breath in her ear causing another shiver. "I can hear your heart beating. See your blood pounding. So, unless you want to be my next meal, I suggest you leave." 

She turned challenging eyes on him. "You're weak from the silver. You need blood, and I happen to have some to spare. Let me help you." 

She tilted her head, exposing her neck, drawing an almost feral growl from him. 

He looked into her eyes, but she only stared back. A slow nod from her, and his fangs extended as the color drained from his eyes. He pulled her close, licking her neck before settling his mouth over her skin. She closed her eyes, letting out an involuntary gasp as teeth penetrated her neck. 

~o~ 

**Combat**

_He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious._

A few hours later, and Don was looking better. He'd fed, and they'd both slept, and now Liz was hopeful that she'd get some real answers. 

"So, what you're telling me is that there are people out there who know about vampires and are actively trying to destroy them." 

"Yes," Don confirmed. 

"Like that little twerp we ran into tonight?" 

Don sighed. "I don't think he was part of any organized group, but I can't be sure. There are people I can contact who might know, but I may have to find out the old-fashioned way." 

"You mean 'we', don't you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Now that she knew what was going on, she wasn't about to sit on the sidelines. 

"You're staying out of this," he said, shaking his head. "Now that you're marked you're the enemy just as much as I am." 

"Wait, marked?" she asked. 

He pointed to her neck. "Marked." 

She sat quietly, digesting that idea, her hand involuntarily reaching up to touch the puncture wounds in her skin. They'd already begun to heal, an artifact of vampire saliva he'd said. 

His words finally filtered into her brain. "I'm not sitting this one out. I may not have combat training, but I'm a Federal Agent. And you'll need backup." 

"Look, this isn't Twilight, and I don't sparkle. This is serious. You could be killed. Do you get that?" he asked, temper barely held in check. 

"You may be a vampire, but that doesn't make you invincible," she shot back. "You could die just as easily as I could; you said so yourself. The question is do you get that?" 

They stared at each other across the table, neither willing to give. 

~o~ 

**Crossfire**

_If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight._

"I don’t want you caught in the crossfire, Liz," he said quietly. "This isn't your fight. I don't want anything to happen to you because of me." 

Liz reached across the table and took his hand in her own, his cool skin driving home the reality of the situation. 

"I'm already in this," she said. "You marked me. Even if I don't step into this fight, I'll still be a target." 

"Not necessarily," he said, shaking his head. 

"Don," she said, tugging his hand to get his attention. "That guy that shot you tonight had silver bullets in his gun. So, either he's a paranoid nut job who assumes there are vampires around every corner, or he was out gunning for you. Either way, he already knows about me because I was there with you. If he does, it's a good bet he'll tell his friends. I'm already in this, like it or not." 

Don sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I just don't want to put you in danger." 

"I carry a gun, Don," she said, smiling. "Anybody tries to get the drop on me is going to meet my Glock first." 

"I won't always be able to back you up," he said. 

She could see a haunted look in his eyes, and her heart went out to him. "I know. But this is an old war, and there have been plenty of people who've seen the worst of it and come out alive. Now that I know what's going on, I can be prepared. But," she said, spearing him with a look, "you're going to need to tell me everything. And I mean everything." 

Don sighed, ghosting a smile. "It'll be nice to have backup for a change." 

~Finis

**Author's Note:**

> I loved Moonlight, and I was sad to see it cancelled. As a concept it was brilliant, and they really did a fantastic job casting the show. So, a fusion with one of my other favorite shows was sort of a no-brainer.
> 
> This story is a condensed version of a story idea I had last fall. I want to write the full, multi-chapter story, but I also wanted to get the bones of the idea down on paper, so to speak. When I saw the January Rewind Prompts, I realized they offered me the perfect opportunity to begin this story, although it definitely doesn't fall into the humor challenge category for January. It does ping one of my kinks: vampires, which was this month's theme (kinks not vampires). So, there's that at least.


End file.
